LexBob2

I was looking through a new issue of CR. They tested a 2011 Kia Optima LX and a 2011 Accord LX-P.

The headline on the article read "A South Korean challenger beats the former champ".

The Accord is still "Recommended", but they like the Optima better overall. It's not Recommended yet since there isn't any Reliability data on the new model, but it should be soon.

mmarshall

CR is pretty careful now about putting an all-new or extensively-redesigned model on the Recommended List. It used to be that they would sometimes recommend a new or redesigned model, if previous versions of that model were above average in reliability for a substantial period of time.....figuring, of course, that the latest model would continue that trend. That all changed, however, with 2006 Camry, which CR recommended based on past performance, but then showed a sharp reliability-drop compared to past models. CR was embarassed by that, and now generally waits for actual reliability data on new models before recommending them.

spwolf

Camry did show sharp reliability drop, it had the recalls, which is why it was removed from the list. It still scores better than Honda Accord.

LexBob2

Correct. Their top rated 4cyl Family Sedans are Altima, Sonata, Camry, Legacy & Kizashi.

The Optima and Accord mentioned above are #'s 6 & 7.

spwolf

i meant to say didnt :-)... but same point anyway...

Looked at 2011 JD Powers Dependability study, and Camry was found to be more reliable than Altima and Accord too.

It will certainly take a year or two for the recall sting to be taken out of surveys but it doesnt suddenly make Camry worse car.

SoCalSC4

I find this car really intriguing - it doesn't look like everything else on the road - but the C-pillar area and dash smack somewhat of Saab styling, so I am struggling with that a bit. I've never been a Saab fan (as my friend would say, "I don't want to hear your Saab story")

mmarshall

Though Saabs are not hugely popular, there are a couple of stereotype groups, generally left-wing, that (supposedly) are attracted to them. I won't go into them here, because I don't necessarily believe those stereotypes myself.

spwolf

I like Optima a lot.. with good diesel and good price, it will sell well in Europe.

Unfortunately our local Kia importer took to liking how new designs sell well, so they rised original price of Sportage 3 times so far in past 9 months.

At the end, price of car when it started selling and now is $5k USD bigger, with no added equipment or anything.

So I wonder what will happen when Optima comes in, they will probably try to price it at the level of Passat and then discount heavily year later.

mmarshall

We need to get more diesels offered here in the U.S., especially now that we have low-sulfur diesel fuel like in Europe. Too many automakers make too many excuses why they can't offer Americanized versions.

Probably not a good move. I don't think that the the Sportage, though a good vehicle in its class, will be as attractive a vehicle as the Optima. One test-drive of the Optima sells itself....not necessarily the case with the Sportage. Kia also, IMO, did not do a very impressive job on the new Sportage's interior, which is rather bleak-looking and lacks nice trim.



Just out of curiosity, how are they pricing the Soul? Here in the U.S., Kia has run a series of Hip-Hop music and Hamster commercials for it, and they seem to have been effective.....it is selling pretty well in my area. My brother liked the Soul so much he himself bought one.

Lexlthr

iTrader: (3)

Great review sir!

spwolf

Well here is the thing - Sportage was 20% cheaper than base Rav4 when it came out, so imagine 16k Sportage with 1.6 engine with 132hp and decent base equipment. Pretty good then? Basically priced like Corolla.

It got really popular upon which they raised the prices to only slightly less than Rav4 for same model.

Problem with diesels is the price of low emissions versions needed for the USA... it is just priced too high then. Honestly with Hybrids getting more and more popular, and cheaper, and emission laws getting stricter and stricter, I wonder if there will be place for diesels in 2020 for instance.

I think in 2015 Europe gets its new emissions laws which will also once again increase the price of diesel engines.


Soul is ok - it is not really European type of the car... they have Proceed which is selling like crazy (it is Golf competitor). It and Hyundai i30 (similar car just different looking), are their best sellers with prices well under anything else, up to 40% cheaper than similar Toyota, and even 10% cheaper than special-cheap versions of French models like Peugeot 308 and Renault Megane. Basically Corolla with Yaris price.

LexFather

Damn that is what the A-class now looks like

mmarshall

Thanks. Unlike some of my reviews, I enjoyed this one.

mmarshall

It's hard to imagine the price of installing an Americanized diesel engine to be higher than a complex hybrid drivetrain with two separate motors, advanced computers, and a large expensive battery-pack.




Great-looking small car.

pikachukia

iTrader: (1)

^^ Agreed.
Also, diesel can be just as efficient but wayyyy more fun.
BMW 335d can get 35+ mpg apparently and its probably much more fun to roll in than...a prius